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Pumat
The Sovereign Nation of Pumat (POO-maht), or the Pumati (poo-MAHT-i) Empire, is a large country in the southwestern region of Teren Maseda. It is well-known to hold the largest standing army on the continent. It is currently at a cease-fire with Bethune, and peace treaties are being negotiated. Geography Due to its size and placement, the geography of Pumat is varied. The country is divided vertically by the Amfer river. The central region of Pumat is largely fertile floodplains, feeding from the river and spring rains. Beyond the floodplains are rolling grasslands, with a large open region to the east. To the north and far northeast, the grassland meets deciduous forest. The western half of Pumat is an arid, rocky heath. Vegetation grows more sparse closer to the coast, largely scrub brush, cacti, and tough grasses. Government Central Government Pumat is an absolute monarchy, headed by a dynasty of rulers known as God-Kings or God-Queens since the year 3887 Fire. The current God-King is Ardent Willem Ephram Legault IV of House Brandblood. He has two sons, Ardent Jakob Legault V, and Balroy Dallathor Legault. The God-King is advised by his Upper Council, the heads of each of the five Departments (Treasury, War, Agriculture, Law, and Labor). Department of Law The head of the Department of Law is Lady Talja Saryarus, Margrave of Mar Kovi The major cities of Pumat and its controlled territories are headed by agents known as margraves. The margraves are responsible for the management and upkeep of the territory under their control. The collection of margraves is known as the High Court, the highest lawmaking body of the government beneath the God-King himself. Margrave candidates must be sponsored by a sitting margrave or other royal official, and are required to have served at least 5 years in the military. Directly below a Margrave is a High Schild, responsible for interpreting laws passed by the High Council and dispensing justice upon offenders. The High Schild is appointed by a vote among city council members, but must be approved by the local margrave. Smaller towns may have local schilds, lawmasters who report directly to the High Schild and Margrave and work alongside local Bluecloak captains. The Royal Church Within the Department of Law is the semi-independant Royal Church, headed by Archbishop Luca Arthurson. The Royal Church is the official religious body of Pumat, and the worship of deities outside of its pantheon is a punishable offense. Only the eight gods of the Upper Pantheon and the God-King himself are acceptable figures of worship under current law. Beneath the Archbishop are 12 bishops, who themselves make up the Blue Conclave. The purpose of the Blue Conclave is to offer religious guidance and to elect a new Archbishop as the need arises. The Blue Conclave works closely with the High Court in many cases. Department of War The military of Pumat is under the jurisdiction of the Department of War, headed by General Matar Ironclaw. The signature blue tabards have earned the Royal Guard the nickname of Bluecloaks. Most major cities have a local Overseer, high-ranking military leaders that work alongside the local margrave to keep the region relatively safe and under control. Pumat is not currently at war, but its relationship with surrounding nations is strained at best. The previous and current God-Kings have greatly expanded the nation's territory over the past century, forcibly occupying and then annexing the nation of Amfer as well as various independant cities and regions in the area not directly under the protection of other major powers. Because of this, Pumat has a fairly large standing army, most of which is stationed wither in the Amfer region or along the border with Bethune to the north. Department of Treasury The collection of taxes and gelds and the maintenance of the royal coffers is the responsibility of the Department of Treasury under Lord Bertrund Oakenspire. Notable Locations Mar Kovi Mar Kovi is the capitol of Pumat, perched atop a great hill surveying miles of farmland and countryside in all directions. It is the largest city in the region, originally a farming town and trading post between the Gaheele Forest and the Darri Fields. The city is home to about 12,000 people, many of them soldiers stationed in the castle or surrounding smaller towns. Within the walls of the city is a bustling trade hub, and the city is home to many specialized craftsmen. The marketplaces themselves are massive spectacles, always bustling with trade and filled with folk from across the southern regions of Teren Maseda. Mar Kovi is a circular city, built around the Elkmir Citadel perched atop a lone hill and sprawling across the surrounding plains. It is divided into three main sections: the Rose District, an exclusive walled-off area home to the city's more affluent citizens and high-end retailers; the Lily District, the commercial district home to the largest market and most common housing; and the Laurel District, the lower-end area home to common workers and farmers. As the capitol of Mar Kovi, it is the home of the God-King, Ardent Legault IV. It also houses many of the country's important buildings, such as the Harlon Palace, where the High Court convenes for meetings, and the Whitehill House, the headquarters of the Royal Church. Aras Mana Aras Mana is named for the dozens of natural springs (known in the native gnoll tongue as mana) that the city is built around, as well as the patron god of respite, Aras. It is also the current home of the goddess Quill, and is considered a holy city by her worshippers. The city was the former capitol of Amfer, before the nation was annexed by Pumat approximately forty years ago. The city is home to almost 15,000 people, and it is a common place for tourists and traders to stop by. The streets are lively and colorful, with tapestries and banners hung from windows to keep out the desert heat. Most buildings are made from adobe or sandstone bricks, the same pale sandy gold as the earth in the area. Rarely do newcomers enter the city without stopping at the Temple of Quill. It's an impressive building, well-kept and staffed. The main chamber of the temple is freely accessible to the public, but most of the complex is private. Quill lives within the temple, and can often be found wandering the city under the guise of a simple merchant or traveler. Aras Mana is also famous for its bathhouses, huge and luxurious buildings that take advantage of the natural springs to provide clean and pure water for guests to relax in. Most offer rooms to rent, doubling as both bathhouse and inn. Some are high-class and expensive, others more casual. The city of Aras Mana is under the jurisdiction of Margrave Ulfric Wovenstone. He is a stout dwarven man with a kind smile, who spent most of his life as a local schild. Duessel Duessel (DUHS-sil) is one of the largest ports in Pumat, dominated by its large shipyards and fisheries. Few goods (or people) enter from the coast without passing through Duessel. The city was formerly part of Amfer, but was conquered and brought under the rule of the Pumati Empire under the rule of Ardent Legault III just over sixty years ago. Much of the city's outlying structures were destroyed during the seige, and most of them have not yet been rebuilt. The actual population of the city is fairly low compared to the amount of trade that passes through. High taxes and high poverty rates chase away most potential investors, and most of those who live in the city are either dock workers or their direct employers. The docks of Duessel are split into two distinct sections; the west docks are for wares and common travelers, while the south docks are for more prestigious guests or important cargo. The south docks open directly into the Pearl District, the more well-off area of town where business owners and shipmasters live. Duessel is under the jurisdiction of Margrave Hela Baleth. She is a stern and detatched elven woman, and is well-known as the officer in charge of breaking the siege on the city sixty years prior. Talakel Talakel (tal-a-KELL) is a trading and farming city, built up around a crossroads between Duessel, Aras Mana, and Mar Kovi. It is home to the central library of the Vermillion Veil, an independant sect of mages that operate out of the city across much of the continent. There are approximately 9,000 people in the city, spread out both within and outside of the walls. The city is surrounded by farmland, mostly growing a grain known as sorghum in the relatively dry climate. Most of the trade of the city is done outside of the walls, with tents set up selling various wares. Within the city walls are more formal and specialized shops selling higher-quality goods, as well as inns and taverns. There are quite a few bakeries in the city, and the merchant district is filled with the smell of freshly-baked bread. The Vermillion Library is one of the main features of Talakel. It is home to hundreds of ancient texts dating back thousands of years. A large portion of the texts have been copied and are available to the public, but only those with connections to the Vermillion Veil are allowed access to the private collection. The Vermillion Veil also has a vault within the library that is used to store precious or dangerous artifacts that its members have collected or that have been donated to its care. The city is under the jurisdiction of Margrave Zacharie Micas. He is a former general in the Bluecloaks, a well-built human man with well-trimmed silver-grey hair. Omas Omas (OH-mahs) is a fairly sizeable city built on the banks of the Sazed River. It is infamous for its tolls, as merchant ships carrying goods (typically from Bethune) are required to pay dues to the city in order to continue further south into Pumat. The city is also home to a large garrison of Bluecloaks, the official Pumati military force. The soldiers are on standby, as tensions between Pumat and Bethune are still quite high. Those with free time often work as river runners, skilled boatmen employed by the city who chase down those seeking to avoid the tolls. Omas is home to a well-known elven leatherworking guild known as House Landre. The smell of leather and tanning permeates much of the city's riverside district. The margrave of the city is Margrave Matar Clawface, a heavyset grey tabaxi resembling a lion, with badly-scarred hands and forearms. He was a blacksmith that worked with the Bluecloaks for many years.